The Many
by Arwennicole
Summary: Their parents are dead, that's all Talitha and Sabik knew. Why they died and how they died was always the mystery. They have to find the answers quickly when an enemy attacks their friends' parents. To keep history from repeating. M for the graphic content inside.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Andros was running down the hall, he stopped and leaned against it coughing. The coughing turned from small to uncontrollable. A gurgling sound left his throat and he gagged, pulling his hand back he saw blood covering his palms. Lifting his head, he held his side as he looked down the hall. " _Gree mach do!_ " A voice called out, sounding reptilian. (There he is!) Andros looked to his right to see two guards dressed in silver armor and staffs. They lowered the staffs and Andros took off running down the hall. Rolling across the floor as the blasts nearly hit him in the shoulder and back.

The former Red Space Ranger slid around a corner, his side CRASHING into the wall making him shout in pain. He fell to his knees for a second, holding his already shattered ribcage. He was struggling to breathe, closing his eyes tight he forced himself to his feet. Taking the medallion that was hanging around his neck, Andros reached a door and slammed the medallion up against it.

Racing into a room it was obvious it was some sort of infirmary. Ashley was laying on the table, barely clothed with wires sticking out of her arms and her torso. She had a headband around her head that also had wires coming out of it. "Ashley," he called to her. He started removing the wires and the needles from her arm. She let out a moan and her eyes fluttered open and closed.

"Andros…" she moaned in pain.

Andros cupped her cheek in his hand. "I'm here, I'm right here, we have to get you out of here," he told her. Ashley whimpered in pain as he picked her up.

"Andros, don't," she begged, "Don't…"

She suddenly jerked her body and started coughing hard. "You need to get out of here…" she murmured.

"I'm not leaving you," he answered.

"You have to go," she insisted, struggling to breathe.

Andros placed her back on the table. "Ashley, look at me, look at me, I'm right here," he told her, holding her up. Ashley stared up at his face. Reaching up, her hand cupped his cheek, her thumb moving over his bruised cheekbone.

"You're human…" she whispered.

Andros couldn't help but smile and chuckle as tears welled up in his eyes. "What did you expect?" he answered. Ashley gave him a small smile.

"I've only loved you…in my whole life…" she whispered.

"Don't talk, you need to keep your energy so we can get home," he answered.

"Andros…" she said softly.

Ashley gripped his hand tightly. "You have to make it…you have to," she insisted. Her fingers traced the wedding ring around his left ring finger. "I love you…always…" she got out.

"I love you…forever," he answered.

Ashley smiled before she let out one final breath before falling limp in his arms. "Ashley? Ashley!" he called to her. Andros looked at her limp body, tears slid down his face before he pulled her into his arms. His shoulders shook as sobs wracked through him.

Suddenly, he felt a shearing pain go through his back making him shout and drop to his knees. Looking over, he saw the same soldiers rushing over to grab him. Andros grabbed the dagger from one of their boots, stabbing them both in the necks with it. Picking Ashley's lifeless body up, he rushed out of the infirmary.

Finding the ship, Andros hurried over to it. "DECA, open the door!" he called out. The door slid open and he rushed inside.

Andros placed Ashley's body onto the infirmary bed. "DECA, lift off!" he called out, "Take us home!" Andros fell to the floor, grunting in pain as he coughed again. The iron taste of his blood settling on his tongue.

Reaching to his side, he pulled his hand back to see blood. "Get us home," he begged. The ship shook as their attackers tried to bring them back but the Megaship went into hyper rush.

Back on KO-35 minutes later, Karone ran onto the landing pad as the Astro Megaship landed. The door opened and Karone gasped in horror. Her brother was practically stumbling out of the ship covered in his own blood, his clothes were tattered, his hair was matted to his head, what wasn't covered in blood was bruises. "Andros!" she gasped. Running over to her brother, she caught him in her arms as he collapsed. Zhane's eyes grew wide at what he was seeing.

"MEDICS!" he shouted, running over to them.

Andros was holding onto Karone's hand. "Talitha…Sabik…" he murmured.

"They're okay, they've been asking about you," Karone replied.

"Good…that's good…" he murmured.

Andros gripped his sister's hand tighter. "Ashley's gone…I couldn't save her," he murmured.

"That wasn't your fault," Zhane assured him as Cassie, TJ, and Carlos ran over.

"What happened?" TJ asked.

Andros swallowed with a cough. "We…We…they came…out of nowhere," he replied, "They did things…they're monsters." Andros looked at Karone. "They can't find out…they can't find any…anyone," he begged her, "Everyone has to know."

"Who are they?" Zhane asked.

"Monsters…they are liars…deceivers…not friends…" he replied.

"What are their names?" Cassie asked.

Andros's eyes kept opening and closing. "Andros, stay with us," Karone begged him, her hand resting on his chest, "Come on, big brother, open your eyes. Who are they?"

"They…wouldn't…tell…" he replied, "They…said…many…"

Karone hushed him. "Keep your strength, okay? The medics are coming," she assured him. Andros was struggling even more to breathe.

"Protect…them…" he whispered, "Promise me…Talitha and Sabik…they are safe."

"I promise," Karone replied.

Andros looked at his sister and his friends. Then it looked as though he was looking pass them. "Ashley…" he whispered, "I want…I want to be with Ashley…" His eyes closed and Karone's eyes went wide.

"Andros?" she asked.

She started shaking her brother. "ANDROS!" She shouted, "No, no, Andros, come back." She placed Andros on the ground, resting her hands on his chest as she started doing compressions. "Andros, come back! You can't leave us!" she begged him. Zhane had Karone stand up.

"He's gone, Karone," he told her.

"NO!" she screamed.

Karone fought against her husband but Zhane held her tighter. "NO! NO!" Karone wailed as she fell to her knees and Zhane fell with her, holding her close.

At the funeral, a little boy with chin-length light brown hair, hazel eyes, and a black suit stood next to Zhane, holding onto his hand. A little girl with brown hair and blond streaks, brown eyes, and wearing a black dress sitting on Karone's hip. The sky was cloudy, the Karovan minister had finished with the ceremony and they were staring at the two silver caskets that held Andros and Ashley's bodies. Sabik looked up at Zhane. "Uncle Zhane, what happens now?" he asked sadly.

"Aunt Karone and I are going to take care of you, okay?" Zhane asked as he crouched in front of him.

Sabik lowered his head and Zhane felt that painful tug to his heart. "Come here," he said softly, picking the little boy up and hugging him. Sabik hugged Zhane back as the tears fell down onto his face and into Zhane's jacket.


	2. Grief

Chapter 2: Grief

Karone was trying to get her daughter, Paisley, down for her nap, but the baby kept screaming and crying. The new mother was exhausted, she went from a mother to a newborn to now a guardian to her niece and nephew who were still grieving the loss of their parents.

Zhane was working tirelessly trying to find the person who had done this to Andros and Ashley. Every lead turned into a dead end. Karone paced the floor as she walked over to Sabik, who was trying to do his homework. "Do you need help?" she asked.

"No," Sabik replied, pushing his data pad away, resting his chin on his arms.

She bit her lower lip, reaching out to stroke his hair when Sabik jerked his head away. Karone left the boy alone, taking Paisley upstairs to the nursery.

That night, Karone was sitting in the chair in the parlor staring at the holographic television that was off. She heard the door open and she knew her husband was home. "Karone?" Zhane called out.

"Your dinner is sitting on the table…cold…again," she replied, standing up.

"Don't…I'm too tired to deal with this," he told her as he removed his jacket.

"And I'm not?" Karone demanded, looking at him, "I'm here all day taking care of a four-week-old baby and two grieving children!"

Zhane looked at her. "I'm trying to find answers for those two grieving children," he told her.

"No, this has nothing to do with Sabik and Talitha, don't fool yourself into thinking that it is!" she answered as he walked into the dining room.

Zhane grabbed his plate off the table. "You didn't bother to at least cover it?" he asked.

"Why bother when you're just going to eat half of it and the rest is going into the waste chute?" she answered.

"Karone, stop," he told her.

Karone crossed her arms over her chest as Zhane put his plate into the heating station to warm it up. "He was my brother, she was my sister-in-law, I want to know the answers just as much as you do," she insisted.

"Then you should understand," he answered.

"I understand that we have two children who are trying to cope with the fact that we just buried their parents a week ago," she told Zhane with tears in her eyes.

Zhane let out a deep breath and looked at her. "What do you want from me?" he asked. Karone let out a quiet sob.

"I want my husband to hold me as I cry over the fact that I lost my brother forever. Ashley was my sister in every meaning of the word except for blood," she told him, her voice shaking, "They're gone and they're never coming back. I loved them and you loved them too so why can't you just hold me so I don't feel like I'm missing them alone?"

Zhane rested his hands on the counter. "Sabik and Talitha need you, Paisley needs her daddy. I need you, but you won't even look at us," she stated tearfully, "You drink in your study, you haven't even tried to smile to give those kids hope."

"You already said they're gone, Karone, what hope is there?" he asked.

"Those kids need to know that there's something worth living for. Andros and Ashley died…" she started to say.

"Ashley's death makes sense, Karone. Her injuries were too extensive nothing could've saved her. Andros…all he needed…" he trailed off for a second, "All he needed was a few weeks in the cryogenic chambers and he would've lived."

Zhane looked at her. "Why did he die?" he asked, "Andros didn't have to die, but he did. His death doesn't make sense!"

"You know the reason why," she replied, "His dying words said it all."

Zhane lowered his head and pressed his hand to his temple. "His children…their children…they needed him…they still need him," he insisted. Karone walked over and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "He was my best friend..." he trailed off and the tears fell. Karone hugged him tighter as the tears fell onto his jacket. "They were both my best friends," he added.

"I know," she answered, "And I'm sorry."

Zhane let out a shaky breath. "I have to know who did this and why. I have to know," he insisted.

"No answer will never be good enough," she answered.

Zhane stepped out of her arms. "They have to pay for what they had done," he told her as he walked by her.

"Revenge won't bring them back!" she called to him, "My life has been based off death and revenge it does nothing but cause more pain!"

The study door slammed closed and Karone leaned against the counter as she wrapped her arms around herself, crying softly. She slid to the floor, wrapping her arms around her legs she pressed her forehead to her knees as she cried.

A month later, Karone was tucking Sabik and Talitha into bed. "Sweet dreams, starshines," she said smiling. She went to leave the room.

"Auntie Karone," Talitha called out.

Karone stopped and looked back at her. "Yes, sweetheart?" she asked.

"Why did mommy and daddy die?" Talitha asked.

"Someone killed them," Sabik said coldly.

"Sabik," Karone said to the boy gently, yet firmly.

Sabik closed his mouth, crossing his arms over his chest. Karone walked over, laying down beside her niece on the bed. "A very, very mean person captured your mommy and daddy and they…did mean things to them," Karone explained gently, "Your mommy was so tired from all the mean things so she closed her eyes and she went up to the stars."

"Then why did dad die? He had no reason to die," Sabik said bitterly.

Karone sat up and she held Talitha in her arms. She reached for Sabik, but he just moved further away on his bed. "Your dad, he loved your mommy very, very much. When us Karovans fall in love, truly fall in love, it is a bond that is inseparable," Karone explained.

"What does that mean?" Talitha asked.

"It means…you know how strong a chain is? You can pull and pull and it doesn't break?" Karone asked.

Talitha nodded her head slowly. "That's what it means. Your daddy loved your mommy so much that when she passed away, your daddy couldn't live without her. So he followed her to the stars," Karone explained.

"Dad loved mom more than us," Sabik said coldly.

"Sabik," Karone scolded him.

Sabik rolled onto his side and pulled the blankets over his head. "Your dad loved you very much too," Karone told Talitha, "He was just too sad to stay without mommy." Talitha nodded his head slowly. "But your mommy and daddy are always going to be right here," she added, pointing to her heart. Talitha smiled sadly and Karone kissed her forehead gently.

Talitha turned to the picture of Andros and Ashley when they were engaged. Andros was standing behind her with his arms around her waist. She was leaning into him with her forehead resting against his jaw. Their eyes were closed but they were smiling gentle smiles. "Night, mommy, night daddy," Talitha said softly. Karone got up and she turned the lights off, leaving the room.

One year later, Karone was folding baby clothes when she heard a familiar laugh making her look up. She saw Talitha sitting in front of the holographic television watching a holographic home movie.

 _"This is daddy with baby Tally," she could hear Ashley say._

 _Andros was sitting in a rocking chair, feeding a baby Tally. "How does it feel to hold a baby girl?" Ashley asked._

 _"She's perfect," Andros answered, "Both of them are perfect."_

 _The view moved to a two-year-old Sabik playing with his toy spaceships. "And here's Sabik playing Power Rangers," Ashley said to the camera. Sabik looked up at the camera and smiled then holding his arms up to her._

Karone wiped her eyes and Talitha just watched with a small smile. Suddenly, the screen turned off. "Hey!" Talitha exclaimed.

"Let's watch something worth watching," Sabik answered, turning on a show.

"I was watching mom and dad!" Talitha told him reaching for the remote.

Sabik held it above his head when Talitha jumped up and grabbed it from him. "HEY!" he shouted, shoving her to the floor. Her head barely missing the glass coffee table.

"SABIK!" Karone shouted.

"She started it," Sabik answered.

"No, you started it, go to your room," she scolded him.

Sabik ran up to his room, slamming the door closed as Karone checked Talitha. "Why is he so mean about daddy?" Talitha asked tearfully.

"Sabik is just sad, sweetheart, that's all," Karone replied, "But he knows better than to push."

A few minutes later, Karone knocked on the door. "Sabik?" she called out.

"Go away! I don't want to talk," Sabik answered.

Karone stared into the dark room. "You know, you can come to me if you want to talk," she told him.

"I don't want to talk, I want to be alone," he replied.

Karone nodded her head slowly before closing the door again, leaving him alone in his room.


End file.
